Shazam!
by Echo Hayabusa
Summary: I am an Agent of Order. I am the holder of the power of Shazam. I am the heir to Doctor Fate. I am Naruto Uzumaki.
**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto, or DC Comics, properties of Masashi Kishimoto and.. Well, DC Comics respectively. I make no money whatsoever off of this fanfiction.

 _Metropolis Zoo_ , the jungle of the city it was called. Boasting the largest collection of wild creatures in the world, though that claim may have been exaggerated. Thousands of people filtered in and out of the zoo daily, keeping its doors open with the large amounts of money that they poured into it yearly. Amongst these men and women within the zoo, a young blond haired teenager stalked through the crowd.

His blond hair seemed to go against gravity, spiking in all directions, his eyes a deep blue, like the ocean. He wore a white tee shirt with an orange spiral on the front, over which he wore an orange hoodie. Pulled on over that hoodie was a leather jacket with two orange stripes on the biceps. For pants he wore a pair of regular blue jeans, which traveled down over a pair of black high top converse.

The strangest thing about this teenager in particular, however, was that on each cheek sat three scars very much like whisker marks, making a count of six in total. A scowl on his face caused these scars to dip down ever so slightly. His eyes glared ahead, and it was obvious that he was in a very bad mood. This young teenager was known as Naruto Uzumaki, a Japanese-American orphan.

His parents had been unknown, though his heritage was very easily pinpointed as Japanese and American, with his American features seeming to be more prominent. He had simply been placed on the doorsteps of the orphanage days, if not hours, after his birth. As such, that was where he had been raised, that was where his childhood remained. And it was a horrible childhood. Always being alone, always knowing that you will never be adopted because you've been through so many visitations before that you know the outcome.

So many parents had seen him, and considered him, in their search for an adopted offspring. But, in the end, he had never once even gotten to the signing of legal papers. It hurt, to know that you were seconds away from leaving the orphanage, of finally having a family, and then having it ripped away just before you reached the finish line. It was because of this life, of his parents abandoning him, of never being adopted, that he had become something of a trouble maker.

He pulled pranks on all the attendants at the orphanage, and all of the other children that lived there with him. At school, there wasn't a single person that the blond wouldn't pull a prank on, and he more often than not found himself in fist fights with his peers. He spent a lot of time in in school suspension, and at more than one point, he was put in out of school suspension. He had even been expelled from two schools and had to move both of those times.

It was his cry for attention. And it always worked. Sometimes a little too well. A couple of times Naruto had been escorted back to the orphanage in a police car, due to vandalism and trespassing after curfew. He was rather lucky that the officers all either seemed to like him, or really pitied him, because they never charged him with anything, never issued him a citation, never detained him in jail or a juvenile delinquent prison. But he always looked a gift horse in the mouth, and always continued to do things wrong. Because he needed to control at least some part of his life.

And that lead him to what he was doing now. He was supposed to be at school right now, probably in math, but Naruto wasn't sure. He never paid attention in class. Nevertheless, he had left the orphanage in the direction of the bus stop. But he had cut a sharp corner and had went to the underground Metropolis Subway Station and rode it all the way to Downtown Metropolis, before heading to his favorite place in the city. The Metropolis Zoo. And it was his favorite place for one reason, and one reason only.

Tony the Tiger. Maybe not the main attraction of the Metropolis Zoo for most of those that visited, but he definitely was to Naruto. He was large bengal tiger, his fur glistening in the sun light. Normally he would walk, back and forth, between the confines of his cage, wall to wall. But this particular visit, Naruto found Tony lying down, his head laid on his massive claws. Upon seeing the blond haired teenager approaching, the tiger lifted his head and tilted it ever so slightly. "Hey, Tony."

Naruto spoke to the animal as though he were speaking to an old friend, someone that he had known his entire life and trusted with every fiber of his being. "Yeah, I know I'm supposed to be at school." He stated, as if the lion had spoken to him, worried about his truancy. "But… School sucks, so what's the point of going anyway? I'm just going to get into another fight. I'm just going to get in trouble like I always do." Naruto drew in a deep breath, puffing his cheeks out. "You know what they told me, Tony? If I get into one more fight they're going to expel me.

"That'll be my third expulsion. So the orphanage said that, if that happens, they're going to send me away. To some delinquent school over in Gotham City. Can you believe that…? Gotham City… It'd be like military school in an insane asylum. I'm tired of people pushing me around, Tony. I wish that I could be more like you. You don't have to worry about people pushing you around. You don't have to worry about going to school, or getting arrested because I spray painted something. You just have to worry about being the center of attention here.

"People take care of you day and night. They make sure that you're never sick. That you're always fed. You're set until the day you die. And even if you weren't, if you were in the wild, you'd be safe there to. Your instincts. Being so high on your food chain. All you'd have to worry about is some hunter coming along and trying to take your hide. Even then, all you have to do is be smart enough to get out of dodge… Man I wish I was like you…" Naruto took in another deep breath, looking skyward as Tony stared at him, watching him closely. Almost studying him. They sat in relative silence, the visitors in the zoo passing them by without a second thought. Then, Naruto spoke again.

"How long have I been here, Tony?" Naruto questioned as he looked at the sun. The tiger, once again, titled his head at the young teenager. Naruto stuck his tongue out slightly, biting it as he did math in his head. He had left the orphanage around seven. Getting to the subway station, boarding and riding one of the underground trains, then walking toward the park had landed him somewhere roughly around eleven o' clock. It was noon now, as the giant clock in the center of the Metropolis Zoo stated. That meant that if he wanted to make it back to the orphanage without them knowing that he had skipped school, again, he had to leave right then. He drew in a deep, dreary, sigh as he looked at Tony the Tiger with unsuppressed sorrow. "Sorry, Tony, but I have to go now."

The tiger's ears pressed firmly against its skull as it laid its head back onto its massive paws, almost as if it were sad. Almost as if it could actually understand what the blond haired boy was saying to him. Naruto released another sigh before he began making his way from the tiger exhibit of the zoo. He maneuvered through the sea of people that surrounded him before exiting the Metropolis Zoo. He hurriedly made his way down downtown Metropolis' sidewalks. Reaching the entrance to the subway station, he vaulted over the silver railing and dropped down into the underground. He stealthily made his way past security and money collectors, avoiding having to make any payments. Then, he boarded one of the trains. Oddly enough, it seemed as if he was the only one aboard as said train began to lurch forward. That was odd indeed. The subway was always filled to the brim with people elbowing one another. What was going on?

He sighed, a deep almost depressing feeling, as he grabbed ahold of one of the vertical bars that was placed throughout the underground transportation. Leaning against it slightly, he placed his head against said bar. He didn't want to go back to the orphanage. He didn't want to have to deal with the adults, or the kids for that matter. He didn't want to keep living a pathetic life. No parents. No friends. Nothing except for a tiger that couldn't talk back to him. The train lurched and Naruto released an annoyed noise as he fought to keep his balance. He couldn't wait until he was old enough to drive. Being able to go from place to place whenever he wanted, by his own power. He just couldn't wait. The underground train lurched again, this time a lurching stop that sent Naruto stumbling.

He frowned angrily to himself. It shouldn't have stopped so soon. There was no way that it had reached its destination. With a grunt, he walked out of the train, assuming that maybe, just maybe, there was technical difficulties that was being had. Smoke billowed all around him and he coughed slightly, waving his hand in front of his face. Then, as the smoke slowly disappeared, his eyes widened. He was standing in a cavern filled with ancient artifacts of all types. He swung around to the train, and found that the train had hieroglyphs written and carved all over it. He took a step back, slightly frightened. The doors to the train slid shut and it shot off down its tunnel.

"Hey! Wait!" Naruto cried out, but it was far too late. He sighed slightly, tears threatening to fall as they stung his eyes. He had no idea where he was. He was lost. And there was no way anybody was going to find him. He moved around slightly, touching bits and pieces of the artifacts here and there. Then, he pressed a plate, which activated what was almost a hologram. It projected a grizzly figure of a purple being. There were six more plates, all of which Naruto pressed out of morbid curiosity, that projected figures in different colors, each just as morbid as the last. The figures frightened Naruto, turning as he moved, their haunting eyes watching his every movement.

He moved away, and suddenly found himself at a pair of double doors, with a giant circled lightning bolt imprinted upon it. Naruto tilted his head slightly in curiosity, and confusion. "Come through…" A voice spoke, and Naruto started slightly, frightened. "Do not be afraid. Come through the doors. Your destiny awaits on the other side…" Naruto frowned deeply. His mind screamed at him to run. Yet, he found his right hand reaching upwards, pacing itself in the middle of the double doors.

"Destiny…?" The whisker marked teenager whispered to himself. Then, he put slight pressure on the door. It slammed open. He found a large hollowed out cavern, once again littered with ancient artifacts. However, in this room sat a large, stone throne. And, sitting upon that throne, was an old man, his skin dark, his body very much malnourished as one could see his bones, with long, flowing, white hair and a long white beard. He was draped in an orange toga, and sat hunched over in the throne, holding onto a staff that ended with a large lightning bolt at the very top. "Who…"

Naruto trailed off as the man's eyes traversed over him, staring at him, Delving into his soul. "A child?" The old man questioned, amazed befuddlement filling his voice as he shook his head ever so slightly. "A child is the one to be chosen? A child is the one who would be worthy?" He spoke, his eyes shifting from the teenager in front of him to the roof of the cavern. Naruto furrowed his brow in confusion, not understanding the old man's words.

"Who are you talking to? Me?" The whisker marked boy inquired.

"To myself boy, about you." The old man returned harshly. "I just can't believe that you are the one. A child… An ignorant child…"

"I'm fourteen years old, old man!" Naruto replied rudely. "I'm a teenager, not some little kid!"

"I see no difference whatsoever, and am dumbfounded that you would be the one chosen."

"What're you talking about?" The blond haired teenager questioned furiously, now agitated with the white haired man in front of him. "Chosen? I haven't been chosen for anything! I just hitched a ride on the magical subway of crazy old men, that's it!" The bearded man's eyes narrowed at the whisker marked boy standing in front of him as he leaned back, as far as his slouching body would allow him to at any rate.

"In all of my years, I don't believe that I've ever come across a creature as indignant as you, boy. Why you were brought here completely skips my mind."

"Where is here?" Naruto questioned with gritted teeth. "How did I end up here when I was just trying to get back to the orphanage in Metropolis?"

"This is my domain." The old man answered simply as he slouched back forward completely, eyeing the blond haired teenager harshly. "A place where only my champion should be allowed to enter. But you were brought here instead. Now, all hope may be lost for mankind. Because of a child."

"What're you talking about!?" Naruto screamed at the old man, his hands balling up in his hair. He was angry, and confused. At this point, he actually did want to go back to the orphanage. And that was all he wanted to do. "Domain!? Champion!? Doomed mankind!? What are you babbling about old man!?" The old man grimaced at Naruto's loud voice and shook his head, disapproving of the teenager. "Just who in the hell are you!?"

"I am the Wizard!" The old man bellowed, his voice echoing throughout the cavern, almost seemingly threatening to blow it apart. "I have lived for eons, watching this universe and guarding it! My champion is the one who I, and once my cohorts, the Gods, bestow my powers upon! He is the champion of the Gods, a defender of the universe, one pure of heart! Alas, my cohorts have bled away into history, and I… I have not bestowed these power upon anyone in millenia." Naruto frowned at the man's words, his eyes narrowing.

"You sound crazy, you know that, right?" The blond haired boy questioned, causing the man's own eyes to narrow in response. "You and God's sitting side by side? Champions that defend the universe? You've had a really long time to come up with this story, haven't you? Well you should have picked someone else to try to pull this prank off on. I'm the kind of pranks as far as I'm concerned."

"You insolent child." The old man spoke spitefully. "I sat upon this throne eons ago, surrounded by Gods. And a boy cried out in prayer, his uncle on the verge of death because he was assaulted. And so, the Gods and I called him and his uncle here to my domain, and we tested him for purity. And he was pure. And so, with one word, he was given the power of the Gods, and the power he needed to heal his uncle. And so he did, and we sent him away, back to Earth. And he spread his arms and said the word again, calling for his new powers. And his uncle reached out and killed him, and took our power for himself."

"How do you come up with this stuff?" Naruto questioned, oddly disturbed at the man's account.

"We sealed the man, Black Adam, away when he began to eradicate too much life. But he has returned. And he will seek his way here to my domain to steal all of the power that resides here. And I cannot allow for that to happen, so I called for a new champion, one who is pure, one who is worthy. And what is sent to me? Again? But another child." The Wizard finished his statement with disdain, and disappointment.

"Yep. Bad pick here, old man. Look, I hear you on your whole, must protect the universe, but you're… you know… A liar. So I don't believe you. And, it was a nice visit and all, but I think I hear my train coming back for me, so I'm just going to go. And if it's not my train, you don't have to worry. I'm just going to walk down the tracks until I get free. Well, it was incredibly disturbing to meet you." Naruto turned away from the white haired man and began walking away, intent on leaving the cavern behind, permanently. The Wizard narrowed his eyes, slamming the but of his staff into the ground before tilting the large lightning bolt at the blond.

"You insolent child! Why were you brought here!? What makes you pure!? What makes you worthy!?" As the lightning bolt glowed brightly, moving images of Naruto's life appeared all around the blond and the old man. The whisker marked teenager stopped in his tracks, shocked, mystified. The Wizard saw a young boy spend the allowance that he had once been given at the orphanage, on a teddy bear for a girl at said orphanage that had lost hers.

He saw that same boy, growing up, going to school and getting into fights, protecting his classmates from bullies. Then getting in trouble for it. He saw the blond create murals for people who had sacrificed their lives for their city, and their country. The Wizard saw him, alone in the world, with no one. He saw him feed a tiger, and hold it dearly to him as if it were his best friend. His only friend. Then, the Wizard caught a brief glimpse of the boy's parents. Ones that he had never met, ones who he would not know upon sight, and the old man could only guess toward divine intervention. Because with that one image, he knew what was so special about the boy standing in front of him.

"I see…" The white haired man stated, trailing off as the images died off around him, causing Naruto to look around himself in bewildered excitement.

"What was that!? How did you do that!?" Naruto questioned, his eyes wide with amazement.

"It is within my power." The Wizard answered simply as he gripped his staff tightly. "And I now understand why you were chosen. You are pure of heart, though you are not viewed as such because of your actions. You do not yet realize it, but you have a great destiny laid out before you, one that you will know soon enough. You are indeed worthy to be my champion. You are indeed the only one who can face the Black Adam, and erase his threat from the world."

"You're a creepy old man…" Naruto stated, his shoulders slumped slightly. "But I'm kind of starting to believe you. And if there is someone like this Adam guy, shouldn't you leave it to someone like… Superman? I mean, he's like indestructible. So, he'd be more your choice for getting rid of some evil guy. Not me. I'm just… a teenager."

"You are more than that, as I have seen. I choose you as my champion. All you need do, is speak one word. The word that will grant you the powers of the Gods. You are ready to accept this burden, this great power, I sense this. The word you must speak, it is already there, at the back of your mind. Draw it forward. Feel it with every sense of your being and draw it forward! Become my champion, the champion of the Gods! Say the word with me! Say-"

"-Shazam!" Naruto cried out along with the Wizard. Lightning struck down from the top of the cavern, from nowhere, and slammed into the blond teenager. His head shot backward and his body arched. His mouth opened in a silent o, and then the Lightning dissipated. The blond teenager was no more, having been replaced by another figure. His hair was still the same shocking blond as his normal hair, his eyes still the blue they once were. However, the scars that had been on his cheeks had disappeared, and his hair, still spiky in all directions, had two long bangs traveling down the sides of his face, framing it.

He had grown in height, to that of an adult, and his physique was caught in between those of the heroes known as Superman and The Flash. He now wore a red outfit, top and bottom, with gold vambraces on his forearms, a white belt, a white cape attached to his right shoulder with gold dancing around the outside, and gold and white boots. Perhaps most striking of all though was the large golden lightning bolt that sat on the chest of this outfit, the same as the one that sat atop the Wizard's staff. "What's going on…?" Naruto trailed off, looking at his hands.

"This is the power of the gods." The Wizard returned wisely, examining the new figure that now stood before him. "When the word Shazam is uttered, you will change to your body as it will be, as it is, or as it were, in its prime. You are now imbued with power that, right now, is beyond your understanding. But you will come to learn this power. You will utilize it. Now go. You have the abilities you need, find the Black Adam. Erase him as a threat to the universe. Erase my mistake." Naruto frowned and opened his mouth to say something. Then, he thought better. He closed his mouth and turned, leaving.

He walked through the double doors he had entered through, which slammed behind him. He walked past the apparitions that had frightened him earlier before his interaction with the Wizard. They disappeared as he walked past him. Then, the subway train with the hieroglyphs pulled up in front of him. He stepped inside as the doors opened, and they slid shut behind him. It pulled away silently, heading towards its next destination.

Naruto awoke on the train, still as empty as the moment he had first boarded it. His head had lolled back and he had fallen asleep. He yawned ever so slightly, and, as he looked into the window of his transportation, he found that he had been reverted back to his normal, fourteen year old appearance. He frowned, wondering if everything had been a dream as the conductor called over the intercom that they they had reached their destination, Metropolis. He exited the train as the doors slid open and he quickly left the subway station, weaving through the crowd of people.

He walked down the sidewalk, his hands shoved into the pocket of his black jacket. He chewed harshly on the inside of his cheek as he frowned. Had it all been a dream? It plagued his mind. The subway filled with the horrible ghost like figures? The cave? The Wizard? His new powers? Had it all been a nightmare? A whimsical dream? He looked at his hand and remembered how it had looked in his 'God empowered' body. He remembered the power that had run throughout his body, filling him with an energy he had never known before. He needed to know if it had been a dream or not.

He ducked down an alley quickly, just a few short blocks away from the orphanage. He looked around himself, making sure that there was no one nearby that would see what he was about to do, that would see his new power, or think that he was just some crazy kid because it had all been a dream. He balled his hands into fists and clenched his eyes shut. He wanted so bad for it to have been real. He wanted to finally have had something good happen in his life. A deep, calming yet also violent, feeling settle on his chest. Then, his voice ripped itself from his throat. "Shazam!"

Lightning struck down from the sky, casing Naruto in it once again. His body went through the same motions of shock it had within the Wizard's domain, and then the lightening disappeared. Naruto found himself taller, and his body cased in the exact same outfit that he had been wearing before. Naruto lifted his hands and looked at them in shock. In excited shock. A broad smile passed over his features and the teenager in the body of an adult leaped into the air. "This is awesome!" Then, shock ran through his body again as he found: gravity did not work on him in this form.

That is, Naruto now found himself, levitating, flying, much as Superman did when he arrived on the scene in Metropolis. "Wow." The word ghosted from the blond's lips in a whisper as he willed himself to float higher and higher. "I can't believe this… It was real… It was all real…" The transformed teenager whisked through the air, flying at speeds that only a very few beings were known to do. He flied through the clouds, the wind whipping past his face as he squinted his eyes ever so slightly.

He lunged to the left, and then the right, truly getting a feel for this new sensation. He dipped down, then performed a barrel roll. He performed loop de loops and back flips. He spiraled in ways that, had he been a place, would have meant that he was falling from the sky. For the first time in his life, he truly felt free. It was a feeling that he would never be able to describe in his entire life. Then, it all came crashing down. A new arrival, another flying being, slammed into the blond and sent him sailing down into the ground below. He slammed into the pavement, shattering it into thousands of pieces.

Naruto cried out, in shock and pain, as his vision blurred. He looked to the new figure as they slowly descended from the sky, their arms crossed across their chest. This figure had dark skin, with black hair and black eyes. The outfit he wore was exactly the same as the one that Naruto now had on his body, except that everything he wore that was red, was changed for a dark black scheme instead. "I wake from a slumber that was forced upon me, stripping me of my freedom and my rights…" The figure spoke as Naruto's vision slowly returned to him. The man's face was hateful. Murder was written on his features, and his eyes screamed the rage that he felt in his chest. "... And I got to find that damnable Wizard, only to find I can't. Why? Because he's already chosen a new champion. So what do I have to do? Sit and wait for that new champion, you, to stupidly use their power and reveal themselves to me."

"You're a jerk." Naruto stated simply as he stumbled to his feet, wiping spit that had flung from his mouth and now clung to his chin upon impact away with a sleeve. "I was just flying around, being free. And you just… ruined everythin-" Naruto's tirade was interrupted as the figure darted across the cracked pavement in a blur, slamming into his and sending him flying backwards through the air. His body slammed into a building, shattering through the window before he skidded across the ground.

"You ignorant little cretin." The dark skinned man insulted his adversary as he stalked forward. "You think I care about trivial things such as your freedom? Please. I am only concerned with myself. My own freedom. Taking all of the power that we hold for myself, so that I may finally be complete. And I will make sure that happens, no matter if I have to eradicate you from the world before you relinquish my power or not." Naruto grit his teeth as he sat on one knee, his assailant stalking forward towards him. When he was close, the blond struck out, his fist slamming into the underside of the man's jaw, sending him stumbling backward in shock.

"You're not the only one that can get cheap shots in!" The red costumed fighter called out, slamming his fist into the black haired man's abdomen, forcing him to double over. "I fight bullies like you all the time at school! I know some cheap tricks too!" The black eyed man lurched forward, slamming his head into Naruto's. The blonde's head snapped back, and his black outfitted foe slammed his foot into Naruto's chest, sending him skidding along the ground once again.

"You compare me to insolent children!?" He cried out, outraged. "Do you know who I am!? Do you know who you stand in front of!? I am Black Adam, come to claim my powers from you, false champion!" Naruto grit his teeth as he fought to stand, gripping his chest. Then, his eyes widened as the man's words finally registered with him.

"The Black Adam…?" A foot slammed into his abdomen, sending him rolling across the tiled floor they battle on.

"That's right. I assume the Wizard told you of some of my exploits. The Wizard and I will have words and finish this feud that we have had for so long… As soon as I am done here with you. When I have taken my power from you, and eradicated your unworthy waste of space from existence." Fear slipped throughout Naruto's body. He knew who he was facing. He had the same powers as Naruto. But he knew how to use them. Naruto did not. Naruto didn't know how to defeat the Black Adam. He became afraid that he was about to die.

Black Adam took a slow, deliberate step forward. Naruto wished that the Wizard was there to help him. The villainous being took another step forward. Why had he agreed to take up this mantle of power? Black Adam took two more steps forward, this time in a quicker consecutive motion. He was going to die. Naruto's assailant was now walking towards his kneeling form at a regular pace, growing closer and closer with each passing second. He was going to die, and it was all because he had taken some weird power from a weird wizard. Lightning crackled around Black Adam's hands, and Naruto clenched his teeth together. "Pray to what God you believe in. You will join them soon." The blonde's eyes slammed shut and he waited for death to consume him. But it never came.

He slowly opened his eyes to find that Black Adam had been sent skidding away, his body now residing in the same crater that Naruto's own had such a short time ago. In his pace, floating just in front of Naruto, was a man with a physique very similar to Black Adam's own. He wore a blue skin tight costume, with red boots. A red cape was attached to his shoulders, flowing down his back. He had black hair, but that was all that the blond could see from behind. It was also all he needed to see.

The man floating in front of him was the hero of Metropolis. He was Superman. His eyes were blue, like Naruto's own. He wore a set of red trunks over his uniform. His arms were not doubt crossed over his chest, which, in turn, held his heroic symbol. An 'S' shield, a symbol of hope. Naruto's eyes widened as he stared up at his idol, the word ghosting out of his mouth before he could stop it. "Superman…" The superpowered man glanced over his shoulder and stared at the blond haired fighter.

"I'll take this from here, before Metropolis gets destroyed anymore. You should go." The words stung a little coming from a man as revered as Superman, but Naruto couldn't help but find himself agreeing. So, he did the only thing that truly came to his mind. He ran. More specifically, he leaped into the air and shot away. Tears stung his eyes and he felt a feeling of failure in his chest. He had failed the Wizard. He had failed in stopping Black Adam. He had failed keeping Metropolis safe, or even from getting damaged. Worse yet, he had failed in front of his hero. Superman.

Naruto fled. He fled to a place where he felt safe, to the only place he had ever truly felt safe. The only place he had a friend. The Metropolis Zoo. He landed down in the zoo, grimacing as he did so. It was night now, the zoo itself was closed. Lamp posts were the only things that gave the surrounding area any visibility. He glanced about himself for a moment. Then, he stretched his arms out and arched his neck back. "Shazam!" Lightning shot down from the sky, and in an instant, Naruto had been returned back to his normal fourteen year old form.

He quickly moved through the now empty zoo and found a seat on a cement ledge, right next to Tony the Tiger's display. The tiger opened its eyes and stared at him, confused by his appearance in a time he did not normally arrive at. "Hey Tony…" Naruto spoke, his voice slightly raspy as he tried to force a smile. "Yeah, I know it's late… But I didn't really know where else to go… I'm scared, Tony. I'm in a lot of trouble… Not school wise or anything… I got on the train back home… And I ended up in this weird place…

"There was this old man, right? Well, he turned out to be a wizard, Tony! And he gave me these powers… And all I have to do is say Shaza- I better not say it. But now there's this guy, the guy that got the same powers before me. And he wants to kill me so that he can take all of the power for himself. Why don't I just give him the power…? I can't. Well… I mean… I would, but he's… He's evil, Tony. And he could really destroy the world if he had all of the power… so I can't. I failed in taking the guy down… I can't fail in keeping this power away from him. I just can't."

"It seems you're in quite the dilemma, aren't you?" A new, elderly, voice questioned, startling Naruto, causing his head to snap to the side. An aging man stood there, clad in a black suit with the golden chain of a pocketwatch dangling from his jacket. His greyed hair was neatly groomed. He balanced himself on a wooden cane with a golden attachment at the very top. "Don't be afraid." The man stated kindly as he smiled, moving forward slowly with his cane. Naruto scrambled to his feet, in turn causing Tony the Tiger to stand to his own with a violent growl. "You sure have a way with animals, don't you?"

"Who are you?" Naruto questioned fearfully, his heart pounding in his chest. "What do you want from me?" At the blonde's words, the old man stopped in his tracks, sighing slightly. He glanced skyward for a moment, then looked back at the teenager before speaking.

"My name is Kent Nelson." The old man offered kindly. "I'm sorry. Sometimes in my haste to get straight to the point, I forget that you need to introduce yourself. As for what I want from you, well, that depends on what you want from me, Naruto." The blonde's eyes widened before narrowing dangerously.

"How do you know my name…?"

"I know a lot about you, Naruto. I've been searching for you for some time, with little success. And to think, you've been hiding right under my nose this entire time." Kent drew in a deep breath before releasing it. "Let me explain. I knew who your parents were-"

"You did!?"

"Yes, and if you give me a moment, then I will explain all. Anyway, you're a very special existence, Naruto. You see, in this world there are magical beings. Some of these beings are known as Agents of Order and Agents of Chaos respectively. I, for many years, was the embodiment of one such being. Nabu. A being whose anchor to this world was a golden helmet."

"Golden hemet…?" Naruto questioned as his brow furrowed. "The only person I know that wore a helmet was-"

"Doctor Fate. Yes, that was me. About sixty years ago with the Justice Society of America. We were a… very different beast than the heroes of today, who do not mingle with one another. Nevertheless, some of these agents wanted to prove that Order and Chaos could coexist. So they created two beings known as Hawk and Dove respectively. You may know them as they operated alongside me and my companions for some time. These two beings, of different allegiance, fell in love. In their civilian world, they were known as Minato Namikaze, and Kushina Uzumaki." Naruto's eyes widened at the woman's last name. It was the same as his own.

"I see there are gears turning in your head. Yes, Naruto, the two beings, one of chaos and one of order, fell in love and married and had a child. A child who was very special because they did not fall into the category of Chaos or Order. Instead, they were destined to be an Agent of Balance, one that had both chaos and order at their fingertips. That child, Naruto, was you. And I have been looking for you for quite some time." Naruto felt shock running through him. So much was happening in one day, and it was all happening too fast.

"So… Are you here to erase me as a threat because of that…?"

"Heaven's no." Kent returned with a slight chuckle. "Why would I want to do that to someone with as much potential as you? No, you see, Naruto, I have been searching for you for a very long time. I have just been unable to locate you until today as something occurred that caused your magical signature to flare brilliantly. I now know what those circumstances were, eavesdropping on your conversation with the tiger. It took me a few hours to find you after you first appeared on my radar, but now, I've come to you with a plight."

"A plight…?" Naruto questioned, confused by the man's words.

"Yes, a plight. You see, the Agent of Order that once occupied the helmet of Doctor Fate, Nabu… He is gone. Nabu was erased from this universe by a being known as the Spectre. I spoke with Nabu one final time before he disappeared forever. He theorized that the helmet of Doctor Fate could possibly be more powerful than ever without him occupying it. I feel as though he was correct. But I am much too old to take on the mantle of Doctor Fate. So, here is my proposition to you, Naruto:

"I would like to adopt you from the orphanage that I now know you reside in." Naruto's eyes widened at the man's words. "I would like to train you in the ways of magic, I would like to train you to become the next Doctor Fate, one not controlled by an Agent of Order, or any agent at all. One who can restore balance to the world. In turn, I can help you come to understand the powers that you now posses, the ones gifted to you by the Wizard."

"You know how I can use these powers!?" Naruto questioned excitedly.

"Indeed. Though they have not been in someone for a very long time, the powers you wield are very well known in the magical realm, as is the being who gifted them to you. In fact, how about I take a second here to prove to you that my words are not false? The word you speak to activate your powers is an acronym. I see you're confused. Each letter stands for something. S- for the Wisdom of Solomon. H- for the Strength of Hercules. A- for the Stamina of Atlas. Z- for the Power of Zeus. A- for the Courage of Achilles. And M- for the Speed of Mercury. Combined together, they form the word Shazam, which grants you magical powers from the Gods. If you'd like to come along with me now, I'd be more than happy to go more in depth with what you can do with these powers. What do you say, Naruto?" The blond smiled brightly and opened his mouth to reply. However, it was another voice that spoke in his place.

"I found you!" An enraged voice exclaimed. Naruto started in shock moments before a masculine hand grabbed Kent Nelson by the back of his collar, launching him through the air. A ghostly construct, a purple wall, appeared and caught the again man, and he rolled down to the ground, moaning slightly from the force of his assailant. Across from the fourteen year old, whisker marked boy, stood the Black Adam, glaring spitefully. "I've come to claim the rest of my powers you insolent child!" He took a slow step forward, and in turn, Naruto found himself taking a step backward.

Then, the blond realized what he was doing, and his eyes narrowed as he steeled himself. He could not allow the man to take all of the power the Wizard could offer. He had fought Superman earlier, and he didn't seem to be injured at all now. With more power, he could do anything that he wanted. "Well, you're not going to get it." Naruto returned defiantly. "I'm the champion now. And I'm going to use this power for what it's supposed to be used for. Protecting people." The Black Adam stared at the blond. Then, he laughed.

"Protecting people. How ignorant. You will give me the powers of the Wizard, boy. Or you will die quicker than I had planned for you." He took another step forward, slightly surprised when Naruto mimicked this action. Nevertheless, the Black Adam was unfazed and he pressed on, extending his right hand. "Give me my power now, you insolent child." In return, the older champion's adversary spoke on one word.

"Shazam!" Lightning shot down from the sky, and encased Naruto. Within seconds the Black Adam found himself standing across from his red outfitted enemy. "Come get my power, if you can." Naruto shot venomously at the black haired man, who snarled in response. He shot forward at neck breaking speeds, swing violently at his blond haired foe. Naruto dodged to the side, slamming his knee into his opponent's abdomen. The Black Adam doubled over for a moment before jerking upwards, uppercutting Naruto.

The blonde's head snapped back, and his dangerous foe grabbed the front of his outfit before swinging him over his head. The blonde's face slammed into concrete, shattering it. The blond grit his teeth as he spun on his back before kicking the Black Adam in his throat. The older of the two grasped at it, quickly trying to recover from the blow. Naruto found his foot, lurching off of the ground and slamming his shoulder into the black haired man's abdomen. He doubled over again, and his blond haired adversary took that opportunity to slam him elbow into the back of the Black Adam's neck, sending him to the ground.

As the evil champion tried to get back to his feet, the blond champion curb stomped him, shattering the pavement more than what it had been with the Black Adam's face. The dark haired man roared in rage as he shot to his feet, slamming his fist into Naruto's face. A body shot followed before a knee to the abdomen. As Naruto bent over, The Black Adam grabbed him by his throat, lifting him into the air, in effect cutting off his flow of air as the transformed teenager grunted in surprise and pain. "You will quit this foolish attempt to defeat me, and relinquish the Wizard's power to me so all shall be as it should be."

An idea rang in Naruto's head and he reached up with his left hand, grasping the wrist of Adam's that was wrapped around his throat. "How about… I share my power…?" Naruto rasped out with what little air he had before lifting his right hand and pointing it at Tony the Tiger. "Shazam!" Lightning shot out of Naruto's hand towards what he deemed as his only friend, The Black Adam screaming 'No' in rage that his power was being bounced around so blatantly in front of him. The lightning slammed into the tiger and it roared loudly.

Moments later, the lightning disappeared, and Tony place stood a tiger, easily larger than an average human being with long, sabertooth tiger like fangs. He looked upon the Black Adam and snarled viciously before leaping for him. The black clad individual tried to dodge to the side, yet the tiger's claws ripped through his outfit and his skin. He gave a cry of pain and glared heatedly at the animal that now stood by his enemy's side. "How dare you you insignificant pest!" The man called out as lightning began to dance around his hands.

In turn, lightning shot from Naruto's right hand and slammed into the man's chest, causing him to stumble backwards in shock. His chest burned from the shot. "Hey." Naruto called to him across the distance that they stood apart, his arms crossed over his chest. "It looks like I'm getting the hang of these powers. So, I have a few pieces of advice for you." One moment they were far away from one another. The next, Naruto was standing right in front of The Black Adam, his lightning covered fist buried in the Black Adam's abdomen. The black haired man's eyes widened before he doubled over in pain. "Try to touch Kent or the Wizard again… and I'll kill you."

"That's enough." Another new voice intervened, and Naruto turned to find Superman levitating down to the ground with them. The Man of Steel's eyes widened at the sight of the blond headed champion. "You again? It seems that there's more to you than I thought. Listen, you don't want to stoop down to this man's level. It will make you just as bad as he is." Naruto shook his head, willing more lightning to injure his foe before he could fully recover, forcing a scream of agony to rip itself from the Black Adam's throat.

"You don't understand. The power that powers me, is the same one that powers him. And he wants it all. If he gets it all, he could destroy the entire world." Naruto's eyes narrowed and he looked at Superman from the corners of them. "He stole this power from his nephew. His nephew who pleaded to the Gods for this power so that he could save his dying uncle. He stole this power from his nephew as he called out for it… by killing him." Superman's eyes widened at the statement, and he grimaced. But he shook his head.

"That doesn't mean you should stoop down to his level." At the Man of Steel's words, the Black Adam pushed Naruto away, stumbling backward.

"He's right, you know." Kent's voice called, causing the blond to look to where he now sat on the pavement, holding his cane in his lap. "Don't let him draw you down to his murderous ways." Naruto grimaced, but nevertheless, he nodded, turning to face Black Adam.

"Fine. But tell me this, Black Adam. Do you regret it? At all? Taking your nephew's life for this power, this power he prayed for so that he could save you? Do you ever stop to think about it? Do you remember what he looked like? Do you even remember what you looked like?" The Black Adam grimaced as Naruto pointed to a window on one of the exhibits, where the black haired man could see himself. But a sorrow and a longing pierced his eyes as he met his own gaze. How long had it been? What did he even look like anymore?

"Shazam!" The Black Adam cried out, finding himself now staring at a dark skinned, malnourished old man with untamable white hair and a beard. He allowed a sad smile to pass over his face.

"That's just what I thought…" Naruto spoke. "You haven't changed back from the day you killed your nephew..." The Black Adam's eyes widened at the transformed teenager's words. That event had happened centuries ago. His human body was centuries old. He round on Naruto, rage flaring throughout his entire being.

"You little bastard! Shaza-" His voice died away, and his body drifted off into the wind, nothing more than dust particles. Naruto grimaced and lowered his head slightly. But he felt a change in the world. The threat of the Black Adam had been eradicated. The world was safe from that danger. Superman frowned as he walked toward Naruto. The blond thought that he was about to be attacked again. But the man of steel placed his hand onto the red clad teenager's shoulder.

"I didn't see you in action much. I don't know you. And I can't really say that I trust you. But… Good job out there, kid. If you're the type of person I hope you are, then… I hope to meet you again." The Man of Steel paused, his head tilting to the side as he frowned deeply. "Sorry. I'd like to stay and talk, to find out more about you so I know what other person may be helping me defend Metropolis. But, something just came up, and I need to go deal with it. I'd invite you along, but you've had a long enough night kid." Superman levitated off of the ground and began to ascend into the air. "Take care of yourself, and maybe we'll defend the city together sometime." And, with those words, the hero of Metropolis was gone in the blink of an eye. Off to save his city once again. Naruto smiled.

"I think he likes me." Naruto spoke over his shoulder to Kent, who now stood to his feet, once again balanced on his cane.

"That's great." The old man stated, lacking the enthusiasm the boy had about the situation. "But, before your friend showed up and interrupted, you were about to give me an answer on my proposal. So, Naruto, what do you say?" The blond thought about it. He thought of the orphanage and his school. He thought of Tony the Tiger. He thought of the Wizard, his powers, the Black Adam. Of Metropolis, of Kent and his tale of Doctor Fate. He thought of Superman and what he would do. Then, Naruto finally stopped and thought about what he truly wanted. A smile passed over his features.

"I'd like that, Kent. I really would." The old man nodded, and smiled in return.

"I'm glad to hear it. Well, it's late, so we'll start your adoption process tomorrow. In the meantime, you should probably go sneak into the orphanage. It shouldn't be too hard for you." Naruto nodded in response and began to walk away, but Kent called out to him. "Naruto!" The blond turned around. "I think it's time you and Tony there power down though." Naruto glanced to Tony the Tiger, still in his large sabertooth tiger like form. He frowned, disappointed he had to return him to normal and leave him in the zoo. Nevertheless, the blond uttered one word in response, one word that would change the shape of the universe.

"Shazam!"

 **Ending Note:** There are three to four story ideas that have brought me back to writing, when I can because I'm very busy, more of which is to come in separate fanfiction. I won't release information on them until they are published for safety reasons. I've already had one work of mine plagiarized, I don't want an idea stolen too. Anyway, this is an idea that fuses Shazam(Captain Marvel) and Doctor Fate into one being: Naruto, and Agent of Balance.


End file.
